


Overworked

by opeaii



Category: Taskmaster (UK TV) RPF
Genre: Comfort, Crying, M/M, Overworking, Sleep Deprivation, Tears, soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-05
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 01:54:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29850783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/opeaii/pseuds/opeaii
Summary: Alex wants to make the best series yet, but doesn't realise he's overworking it at all.
Relationships: Greg Davies/Alex Horne
Comments: 2
Kudos: 13





	Overworked

Alex had been working his arse off trying to prepare everything in time for the next series, even though it was a couple more months yet, and not even the previous series had actually been aired yet.

He worked all day and all night, consistently trying to find the energy and the strength to push through. Greg hadn't seen him for such a long time since he went back to the house with his wife and kids, and craved for him just to at least sit next to him, so he could warm him. Sure, they kept in close contact over text, but that was all. It wasn't enough, he would only check his phone on the odd occasion.

Not even Rachel or his kids had seen his face for days on end, he was just always busy. He had only a few bottles of water in the office he was working in, but no food. Rachel kept trying to feed him, but he'd always decline any offer of food and attempt to convince her that he was fine and that she should give it to the kids.

The last time she knocked on his office door was when she gave up trying to care for him. It wasn't like Alex to shout, but he did. He was so fed up, and lost control. He broke a couple things when he threw stuff off his desk and onto the wooden floor in anger and frustration. When Rachel left and headed to bed, the space next to her was empty like always.

Alex held his head in hands, trying to control his temper, subtly letting tears drop from his eyes and onto the desk when he couldn't cope. He couldn't resist checking his phone, to look for any sort of distraction, just for a second, when it made a notification sound. It was Greg.

"Mate, I haven't heard from you for a while. You okay? X"

His eyes hovered over the text, reading it over and over again. Mostly staring at the kiss he left at the end. He found it hard to concentrate on the small screen.

"Everything is fine, just a bit busy prepping for the new series, that's all! :)"

Sent.

He tried to convince himself that everything was actually okay, even though he was guiltily lying to himself. He stared at the white screen for a while before turning his phone off and continuing with work. 

Rachel laid in the bed, on her phone, as she tried to text Greg if he could pick Alex up in the morning. She thought that if she couldn't do anything to help Alex, then maybe Greg could. She didn't mind that Greg was in many aspects, Alex's lover, because they both helped each other in times of crisis while she was looking after the kids and spending time with her girlfriend. 

"Anything for my angel. X"

Greg replied, laid in his own bed, in his own flat. He plugged his phone into the charger on the bedside table and turned himself around and drifted to sleep.

The next morning, he was up and ready to drive round to Chesham to pick Alex up. He was obviously craving to cozy up with him, but he was also concerned about the lack of contact, and more so food, when Rachel told him. She showed him the way toward Alex's office as he knocked on the door. No reply. He opened the door anyway and startled Alex.

"Alex. Get in the car."

"What?"

"You heard me, angel. Get up, get in the car, we're heading back to the flat."

"N-no, it's alright! I'm better off here! Have to continue with this after all-"

Greg snatched his wrist and forcefully dragged him out of the room, out of the house and into his silver car. 

"Greg, you've got this all wro-"

He leaned over and placed a kiss on his lips as he buckled Alex's seatbelt for him. He turned the key and started the engine. Then he drove off the driveway and was on his merry way back to the flat. 

"Greg, I have work to do, you can't just-"

"Shut up, will you? You need sleep, there's bags under your eyes!"

"I'm fine!"

"No, you're not! When was the last time you slept!? And when was the last time you had a proper meal!?"

Silence spread the air. Alex didn't have any words to back his claim. The silence spoke everything, and gave Greg all the answers to his questions.

"We get back to my place, you grab something to eat and then you head straight to bed, okay?"

"But-"

"No buts, Alex! You're sleep deprived! And don't think I haven't heard your stomach grumbling the whole car ride since we left the house!"

The car roamed in quietude. Greg kept driving, even though his heart was fracturing into a billion pieces to know Alex was trying so hard to hide his feelings, and his actual human needs, to bottle it all up inside and make one of the best series of taskmaster. Although the show seemed to be going perfectly fine, the actual Taskmaster, was not. He was really worried about Alex. When he saw the dark circles underneath Alex's eyes, it broke him.

He pulled up to the car park outside his flat, as he unbuckled Alex's seatbelt and helped him out of the car. It wasn't at all hard to see that Alex had missed a lot of sleep with the way he stumbled around the place.

Greg turned his key into the door and then closed it when they were both inside. He carefully guided Alex into the bed as he helped tuck him in.

"I'll get you some food in a second, just rest for now."

"Wait, Greg-"

"Hm?"

Pause.

"...Stay..."

As much as he wanted to jump into him and snuggle him and never let go, he promised to himself that he would try to cook something enjoyable. 

"You've got to eat, Alex. I'll come back, but I want you to get some sleep, okay?"

He hummed and sighed, before he couldn't resist but to sink into the soft bed and drift off instantly. Greg smiled before leaving the room and into the kitchen. He took out a few ingredients from the cupboards and began to prepare a fulfilling meal for Alex. 

Unbeknownst to Greg, Alex had gotten up and out of bed in a shock that his eyes had almost betrayed his work.

Greg brought the haddock and chips he decided to make for Alex into the room, only to see Alex out of bed - not sleeping. He placed the tray and plate down onto his bedside table before climbing onto the bed and settling his knees down behind Alex and bringing his hands to his shoulders, massaging him.

"Alex, why do you do this to yourself? It's breaking me..."

"I have to make the next series the best one yet.."

"It's not going to get anywhere with you overworking yourself like this, Al! Rachel and I miss you, your kids miss you. They haven't seen your precious face in days! They want to believe you're okay but you're giving them every reason not to! Please, Alex. Please just come to bed."

Alex's emotions had broken through again, as he started sobbing. Greg turned him around to face him and pushed Alex into his chest. Muffled whimpers and soft tears dripping onto his shirt, he cried alongside him.

"Let it out, Alex. Please don't stress yourself out."

Alex's hands tugged on Greg's shirt, gripping hard and tightly squeezing his arm, as he sobbed and snuggled into Greg.

"I'm sorry, Greg!" He burst out in tears.

Greg pulled him in, holding him closer as his arms wrapped around him and warmed him up.

"Don't be sorry, Alex... I'm just glad you're okay. Please. Have something to eat and get some sleep, okay?"

Alex reluctantly allowed himself to doze off for a while. He climbed back in the bed after Greg let him borrow some comfy pyjamas to wear. Once Alex was in the bed, Greg took the plate back to the kitchen and stored it in the fridge to heat up for him tomorrow. He came back to the bedroom and was relieved to see that Alex had remained where he was. Greg undressed himself and pulled on some shorts and crawled into the space next to him. 

Greg gave his forehead a soft kiss as Alex snuggled up to Greg's bare chest as he softly drifted into his dreams.

**Author's Note:**

> changed back to teens because i cant figure out whether to rate it general or not


End file.
